The manufacture of carpeting typically involves sewing yarn to a primary backing and adhesively bonding the primary backing to a secondary backing. The most common adhesive used to bind the backings together is a latex adhesive such as synthetic rubber latex.
The latex adhesive used in the manufacture of carpeting is stored and maintained in various tanks, such as holding tanks and mixer tanks, associated with the manufacturing process. Over time, solids and sludges representing waste latex material accumulate in the tanks to the point that removal of the solids and sludge is required. The solids and sludge are typically removed as by use of pneumatic chisels to dislodge the solids and sludge from the tank walls, and the dislodged waste latex material is shoveled into a truck or barrels or the like for transport to a landfill.
The present disclosure advantageously provides methods for processing waste latex materials so that the waste materials may be reintroduced as a component of latex adhesive, thus representing reclamation of waste and avoidance of introduction of waste materials to landfills.